Pneumatic pulse diverters

ABSTRACT

A pulse diverter for directing pneumatic pulses from an inlet alternately to a pair of outlets, the diverter including a piston which at the appearance of each pulse is moved from one terminal position to another to establish a flow path between the inlet and one of the outlets while a control member blocks communication between the inlet and the other outlet and at the termination of each pulse, a drive connection is established between the piston and the control element to move the control element into a position blocking communication between the inlet and the first outlet so that the next pulse will be transmitted to said other outlet after the piston is moved to establish communication between the inlet and said other outlet.

United States Patent Kuhnelt 1451 May 21,1974

[54] PNEUMATIC PULSE DIVERTERS 228,183 11/1958 Australia 137/119 [75]Inventor: Herbert F. Kuhnelt, Vienna IV.,

Ausma Primary Examiner-Robert G. Nilson Assigneez Hoerbiger vemnwerkeAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Aktiengesellschaft,Vienna, Austria Watson 7 i [22] Filed: Oct. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:301,515 [57] ABSTRACT I A pulse diverter for directing pneumatic pulsesfrom [3O] Appl'cat'on Pnomy Data an inlet alternately to a pair ofoutlets, the diverter in- Oct. 29, 1971 Austria 9341/71 eluding a pistonwhich at the appearance of each pulse is moved from one terminalposition to another to es- [52] US. Cl 137/106, 91/433, 91/446, tablisha flow path between the inlet and one of the I 1 19 outlets while acontrol member blocks communication Int. between the inlet and the otherutlet and at the ter- Field of Search mination of each pulse, a driveconnection is estab- 137/624. 14, 625.1 1, 625.13; lished between thepiston and the control element to 91/420, 468,40,433,446 Q move thecontrol element into a position blocking communication between the inletand the first outlet [56] References C ted so that the next pulse willbe transmitted to said other UNITED STATES PATENTS outlet after thepiston is moved to establish communi- 2,893,4l6 7/1959 Hegstadl37/624.14 x cation between the inlet and Said other Outlet- 3,722,5253/1973 Epple 137/106 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 4 C 4 Draw";1,235,456 6/1971 Great Britain 137/119 I I5 5 2 I4 8 7 v 1 l 1 l' 10 1 e9 f\ l \k 1 PNEUMATIC PULSE DIVERTERS This invention relates topneumatic pulse diverters having a housing with an inlet and two outletsand means whereby pulses fed to the inlet are transmitted alternately tothe two outlets.

It is frequently required in pneumatic control systems to transmitpressure pulses coming from a single source alternately to two seperatedevices whereby from a single line, through a simple switch valve,controlled for example by a push-button, two different functions can becontrolled, such as the switching on and off ofa tool. Use is made ofthis arrangement for example in the remote control of pneumaticallyoperated doors of railway carriages and autobuses and in other cylindercontrol systems in which pistons are to be moved in sequence in oppositedirections. Hitherto several control valves were connected together toform switch circuits having the desired function. These switch circuitsare comparatively expensive, and require several pieces of apparatus ofdiffering construction.

The present invention provides a pneumatic pulse diverter comprising ahousing having an inlet and two outlets, a control chamber incommunication with the inlet, flow paths leading from the controlchamber to the respective outlets, a control member mounted in saidchamber for movement between a pair of terminal positions in which thecontrol member blocks one'or other of said flow paths respecively, acylinder formed in said housing, a piston in said cylinder having adriving connection with said control member whereby the appearance ofeach of a series of successive pneumatic pulses at the inlet effectsmovement of the piston to establish connection between the inlet and oneor other of said outlets through the respective flow path whilst thecontrol member blocks the other flow path and the release of each pulsecauses the driving connection to be established between the piston andthe control member to move the control member from one terminal positionto the other alternately to block the respective flow paths whereby thesuccessive pulses appearing at the inlet are transmitted alternately tothe respective outlets.

The control chamber may be formed as a radially enlarged portion of thecylinder with the control member comprising a disc mounted displaceablyon the piston. The disc can be drivingly connected to the piston bysprings acting on the disc in opposite directions which springs aresupported on the piston. In this arrangement the flow paths from thecontrol chamber to the outlets pass through the cylinder.

Alternatively the control chamber can be separate from the cylinder andcan be in communication with the cylinder by channels forming part ofthe respective flow paths and controlled by the control member, thechannels opening into the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston. Withthis type of construction it is advisable for the piston and/or thecontrol member to consist at least partly of magnetic and/ormagnetizable material. The drive connection between piston and controlmember then takes place by the magnetic transfer of force. It is alsopossible for this magnetic transfer of force to be used with controlchambers that are formed as sections of the cylinder so that it is notnecessary to have the abovementioned springs to transmit the force.

The piston can be a double piston with two opposed sections and a rodconnecting the sections, the outlets being formed in the cylinder onopposite sides of the control chamber. In order to extend the functionof the pulse diverter, the opposed sections of the piston can be sealedagainst the cylinder at least in the end positions of the piston, andcan control vent openings which lead from the said cylinder. The pulsediverter thereby simultaneously withthe reversing of the pulses from oneoutput to the other, also effects a venting of the output line not inuse.

A pulse diverter'according to the invention can be further amplified byproviding at least at one end of the piston a pneumatic, electric ormagnetic adjusting drive, such as an adjusting piston or anelectromagnet,

acting on the main piston, and by the actuation of which the main pistonis adjustable into a predetermined end position. By means of theadjusting drive, the piston itself is brought into a preferred outputposition by means of an extinguishing pulse so that the first pulsearriving each time at -a determined output is transmitted further. Bythis arrangement the pulse diverter becomes a full value binarycounting, stage with extinguishing signal imput which is useful asa'counting mechanism in the dual system; and several pulse diverters can'be connected in tandem. v

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings. In the drawings FIGS. 1 and 2 show one formof pulse diverter according to the invention in axial cross-section andin two different positions, and Y F IGS. 3 and 4 are cross sectionsthrough two further forms of pulse diverter.

The pulse diverters shown consist of a housing I having a pulse input 2and two pulse outputs 3'and 4. In the housing there is a control chamber5 with a control member .6 and a cylinder 7 with a piston 8. The input 2opens into the control chamber 5 and the outputs 3 and 4 lead from thecylinder. Vent openings 9 and 10 are provided leading from the cylinder7.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 the control chamber 5 isformed as a radially enlarged sec tion of the cylinder 7 and the controlmember 6-consists of a disc of soft material such as seali ngmaterial,

for example made of hard rubber or plastics. The piston 8 is adoublepiston, having two opposed sections or end pieces 11 and 12, which aresealed against the cylinder 7 by O-rings, and are connected by a rod 13.The disc-shaped control member 6 rests on the piston rod 13 and isdisplaceable in relation to thepiston rod, by two springs 14 and 15which are arranged concentrically on the piston rod 13 and are supportedon the end pieces 11 and 12, the control member 6 thus being in positiveconnection with the piston 8.

The position shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to a rest position in thepressureless state. The control member 6 and the piston 8 are in theirleft end positions in' which the piston 8 is held by the friction of thesealing rings and the control member 6 by the force of the spring 14which is thereby tensioned slightly. A pulse fed to the input 2 holdsthe control member 6 in the present end position and displaces thepiston 8 to'the opposite end position shown in FIG. 2. The end piece 11thereby frees the output 3 so that a flow path is established betweenthe input 2 and output 3 via the control chamber 5 and the cylinder 7.The left-hand half of the cylinder 7 and with it the output 4 remainclosed from the control chamber 5 because the pulsepresses the controlmember 6 sealingly on to the left-hand wall of the control chamber 5.The first control pulse thus passes to the output 3.

When the pulse terminates and the control chamber is relieved ofpressure from the input 2, the control member 6 is displaced from theleft to the right-hand end position by the spring which in the positionshown in FIG. 2 is tensioned, whereby the right half of the cylinderbore 7 is sealed off. The next pulse which is fed through the input 2therefore impinges on the left-hand end pieces 12 of the piston 8, movesthis back into the end position shown in FIG. 1 and frees the flow pathbetween the control chamber 5 and the output 4.

At the same time the output 3 is connected to the vent channel 9 andvents, as shown in FIG. 1. On the cessation of the second pulse thecontrol member 6 again reaches the left-hand end position by the, nowtensioned spring 14 so that the apparatus is now in readiness fordiverting the next pulse to the output 3. The pulses fed through theinput 2 are thus alternately transmitted to the two outputs 3 and 4.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3 the control chamber 5 is separatefrom the cylinder 7 and the control member 6 consists of a disc ofmagentizable material, for example soft iron, which may be covered onits sealing surfaces with a sealing material. The end pieces 11 and 12of the piston 8 are made either entirely of magnetic material or apermanent magnet is inserted in the end pieces 11, 12. The housingconsists of non-magnetizable materialfA magnetic transmission of forceis thus achieved between the control member 6 and the piston 8. The flowpaths between the control chamber 5 and the two outputs 3 and 4 areformed by channels [6 and 17 which extend laterally from the controlchamber 5, are controlled by the control member 6 and at the two ends ofthe piston open into the cylinder bore 7 which completes the flow paths.

The position shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the pressureless state. Whena pressure pulse is fed to the input, the pulse passes through thechannel 16 and reaches the right-hand end of the piston 8, displacingthe piston into the left end position. Simultaneously the pressure pulsepresses the control member 6 on to the inlet of the channel 17. Thepulse is thereby transmitted to the output 3. Simultaneously the output4 is vented through the vent channel 10, since the end piece 12 of thepiston 8 is located in the left-hand end position. When the pulseceases, the control member 6 which is then relieved of pressure is movedinto its right end position through magnetic force exerted on it by theend piece 11 of the piston 8, as a result of which member 6 closesoffthe channel 16 and opens the input to the channel 17. The nextpressure pulse therefore passes through the channel 17 and reaches theleft side of piston 8, displacing the latter to the right so that theflow path from the control chamber 5 to the output 4 is opened.

The embodiment according to FIG. 4 corresponds substantially to thestructure according to FIGS. 1 and 2. The end pieces ll and 12 of thepiston 8 are sealed off only in their end positions by O-rings l8 and 19inserted into the housing I and have tubular continuations 20 and 21which abut sealingly against the discshaped control member 6. As aresult of this it is not necessary to have a sealed arrangement of thecontrol member 6 on the piston rod 13. The functioning of the pulsediverter corresponds to what was described with reference to FIGS. 1 and2. In addition, this embodiment is provided with a return to zero formedby an adjusting drive 22 mounted on the end of the housing 1. Theadjusting drive consists of an adjusting piston 24 displaceable againsta return spring 23, which adjusting piston acts on one end of the piston8 and to which an extinguishing pulse can be fed through an input 25.The pulse diverter can thus be brought into the desired output positionat any time by the feeding of an extinguishing pulse. In the embodimentaccording to FIG. 4 the pulse diverter is brought to the left outputposition in which the pressure pulse first fed through the input 2 eachtime can be transmitted to the output 3. The pulse changer according toFIG. 4 thus forms a full value binary counting stage with extinguishingsignal input. If necessary, the adjusting drive 22 can also be providedon the left end of the housing 1 or both ends can be equipped with anadjusting drive so that the pulse changer can be positively brought intoeach of its two end positions.

Within the scope of the invention further constructions and alterationsto the embodiment shown are possible. In particular, with a controlchamber 5 connected to the cylinder bore 7 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, apositive connection can be produced between the piston 8 and the controlmember 6 by magnetic transmission of force. The control chamber can beprovided eccentrically to the cylinder bore 7 in the housing 1 and thecontrol member 6 can be arranged pivotably instead of displaceably, inwhich case apositive drive connection with the piston can be effectedeither with springs or through the magnetic transmission of force.

I claim:

I. A pneumatic pulse diverter comprising a housing having an inlet andtwo outlets, a control chamber in communication with the inlet, flowpaths leading from the control chamber to the respective outlets, acontrol member comprising a disc mounted in said chamber for movementbetween a pair of terminalpositions in which the control member blocksone or other of said flow paths respectively, a cylinder formed in saidhousing, the control chamber being formed as a radially enlarged sectionof the cylinder, a piston in said cylinder on which said disc isdispla'ceably mounted and with which said disc is drivingly connected byopposed springs acting between the disc and the piston, whereby thepresence of each of a series of successive pneumatic pulses at the inleteffects movement of the piston to establish a connection between theinlet and one or other of said outlets through the respective flow pathwhile the control member blocks the other flow path, and the release ofeach pulse causes the driving connection to be established between thepiston and the control member to move the control member from oneterminal position to the other alternately to block the respective flowpaths, whereby successive pulses appearing at the inlet are transmittedalternately to the respective outlets.

2. A pulse diverter according to claim 1 wherein the piston has twoopposed sections operating in opposed cylinder sections respectively anda rod connecting the piston sections, and the outputs communicate withthe respective opposed sections of the cylinder.

3. A pulse diverter according to claim 2, wherein the opposed sectionsof the piston are sealed at least in the terminal positions of thepiston against the cylinder and 6 v the opposed piston sections controlthe communication least at one end of the piston'there is provided oneof between the outlets and vent openings formed in the cylinder.

a pneumatic, electric and magnetic adjusting drive for altering thestroke of the piston. 4. A pulse diverter according to claim' I, whereinat

1. A pneumatic pulse diverter comprising a housing having an inlet andtwo outlets, a control chamber in communication with the inlet, flowpaths leading from the control chamber to the respective outlets, acontrol member comprising a disc mounted in said chamber for movementbetween a pair of terminal positions in which the control member blocksone or other of said flow paths respectively, a cylinder formed in saidhousing, the control chamber being formed as a radially enlarged sectionof the cylinder, a piston in said cylinder on which said disc isdisplaceably mounted and with which said disc is drivingly connected byopposed springs acting between the disc and the piston, whereby thepresence of each of a series of successive pneumatic pulses at the inleteffects movement of the piston to establish a connection between theinlet and one or other of said outlets through the respective flow pathwhile the control member blocks the other flow path, and the release ofeach pulse causes the driving connection to be established between thepiston and the control member to move the control member from oneterminal position to the other alternately to block the respective flowpaths, whereby successive pulses appearing at the inlet are transmittedalternately to the respective outlets.
 2. A pulse diverter according toclaim 1 wherein the piston has two opposed sections operating in opposedcylinder sections respectively and a rod connecting the piston sections,and the outputs communicate with the respective opposed sections of thecylinder.
 3. A pulse diverter according to claim 2, wherein the opposedsections of the piston are sealed at least in the terminal positions ofthe piston against the cylinder and the opposed piston sections controlthe communication between the outlets and vent openings formed in thecylinder.
 4. A pulse diverter according to claim 1, wherein at least atone end of the piston there is provided one of a pneumatic, electric andmagnetic adjusting drive for altering the stroke of the piston.